There is as yet no grammar of the Manchu language in English. Wylie's translation of
Tsing Wan Ki Mung (清文啟蒙), Shanghai, 1855, a kind of Manchu hand-book for the use of Chinese, though useful and full of interest, is by no means a grammar.

The general interest taken in ever language will, of course, be also extended to Manchu; still a few words seem necessary to show the particular usefulness of its study.

There exist in all about 250 works in Manchu, nearly all of which are translations from the Chinese. They consist of translations from the Classics, some historical and metaphysical works, literary essays, collections of famous writers, novels. poetry, laws and regulations, Imperial edicts, dictionaries, phrase books, etc. Most of these translations are excellent, but they are all literal. Executed under the eyes of intelligent princes, they form a reliable expression of the meaning of the Chinese text and have therefore a right to acceptance equal to that enjoyed by commentaries of good writers. Manchu being infinitely easier to learn than Chinese, these translations are a great help towards obtaining a clear insight into Chinese syntax, and scholars like Stanislas Julien, who owed the remarkable precision in his renderings to his knowledge of Manchu, have repeatedly pointed this out. In a letter addressed to Dr. Legge he alludes to the study of Manchu as being of great assistance in translating the Classics. Dr Legge, however, in the preface to his translation of the Shuking, pronounced himself against it. The reasons advanced by this great scholar are not very cogent, and, in fact, not knowing the language, he was hardly competent to judge. But, even if he were right, others may be in a different position. Dr. Legge was perhaps more fortunate or more gifted than most people and had a thorough mastery of Chinese at the time when St. Julien wrote to him. Those who find Chinese more difficult will be inclined to consider the Manchu translations a great help.

This grammar being intended for the practical purpose of guiding the student in learning to read Manchu works, not of translating into Manchu, everything foreign to the aim is left out, especially all information which properly belongs to the sphere of the dictionary.

Shanghai, February, 1892.

P.G. von Möllendorff.

THE ALPHABET.

When alone.

In the beginning of a word.

In the middle of a word.

At the end of a word.

a

ᠠ

ᠠ‍᠊

᠊ᠠ᠊

᠊ᠠ

e

ᡝwhen followed by n in the beginning of a word, a space is left to distinguish it from a: ᡝ᠊ᠨ᠊ en ᠠ᠊ a

k, g, h, t, d have two forms, one when followed by a, o, ū, the other when followed by e, i, u.

o in the middle or at the end of words may be doubled and then stands for oo or ao.

If u or ū is followed by a or e, w is placed between them: juwe (two) pronounced jue.

If a vowel is followed by i, the latter is doubled, except at the end of a word.

No word commences with r, nor with two or more consonants.

t after a vowel and before a consonant, or at the end of a word, is written like on.

To distinguish f from w, the rule is: at the beginning of a word w occurs only when followed by a or e. F before a and e has an additional stroke at the right.

Manchu is written from top to bottom, the lines following from left to right.[3]

Pronunciation.

Many of the Manchu words are now pronounced with some Chinese peculiarities of pronunciation, so k before i and e=chʽ, g before i and e=ch, h and s before i=hs, etc. H before a, o, u, ū, is the guttural Scotch or German ch.

n is the ordinary sonorous liquid; only as initial, when followed by iya, iye, iyo, io, it is pronounced like ny: e.g. niyalma man=nyalma; niyengniyeri spring=nyingnyiri; niolhon smooth=nyolhon (Radloff, Phonetik, p. 162).

}{\displaystyle \scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}} according to the degree of widening or narrowing in inner organs of speech.

4

narrow vowels

y

u

i

ü

The harmony of vowels consists in a certain attraction of vowels physiologically related
to each other; in accordance with it a vowel can only be followed by a corresponding one. All
the Altaic languages show this peculiarity, the Turkish dialects the most, the Tungusic and
Manchu the least. Within stems this harmony of vowels is of interest only to the philologist,
but as most of the affixes in Manchu offer the choice between 2 or even 3 vowels (e.g. ha, ho,
he; la, le; hon, hun, hūn), a few rules are necessary to show which vowels should be used.

Stems terminating in a, e or o, take the same vowel in the affix: sula-ha left behind; mute-re being able to; tokto-ho fixed. Exceptions are given under “Verbs.”For affixes in on, un, ūn (hon, hun, hūn): stems in which a or o occurs twice, or those having i and a, take sometimes ū: yada-hūn poor; šoyos-hūn folded.

Stems of one syllable, terminating in i or u, take mostly e: bi-he was; ku-he rotten. With one of the affixes on, un, ūn: his-hūn bashful.

A final n, not being part of the root, is dropped in combinations: kumuda musician—kumun da; ilase three years—ilan se; daniyartu a mythological animal—daniyan artu, or transformed in m before b: dulimba middle—dulin ba.

Other similarities seem to point to more ancient loans: fi brush (筆 pi), fafun law (法 fa); dulefun degree (度 tu); kemun measure (刻 kʽe). These may, however, originally spring from the same root (compare e.g. kemun with Jakutic käm measure).

Manchu words cannot begin with r (Buddhist works contain some transliterated Sanscrit words commencing with r) or ū (ūlet is Mongol). They generally terminate in vowels or n. Final r, k, and s is only found in onomatopoetic words like kacar kicir, kafur, kalar kilir, etc., cik cak, tok, katak kitik, kas kis. Words with final m, l, or t, are foreign: serim name of a place, serekul town in Turkestan, mandal Mongol word, a place where scared rites are practiced ūlet is a Mongol name.

by the affixes sa, se, si, so, ta, da, te, ri. These are simply added to the word; a final n (not being part of the root) is dropped (hafan—hafasa); but han emperor—hansa. Jui loses final i: juse; omolo final lo: omosi. Thus šabi—šabisa; age, agese; aha—ahasi; monggo—monggoso; ama—amata; eme—emete; mafa—mafari. Some nouns use several affixes: urun—urusa and uruse; agu—agusa and aguse; nakču—nakčusa, nakčuse, and nakčuta; gioro or gioru—gioroso and gioruse; sargan—sargata and sargada.

I, ni. I is placed after words terminating in a vowel or in n; ni follows words terminating in a consonant other than n. After words ending in i (words of Chinese origin excepted) the i may be left out.

This affix denotes:

the genitive case or possession, origin, habitation, part, intention with which a thing is done (之), e.g. boo i ejen the master of the house; abkai ejen the Lord of Heaven, God (天主); irgen i urse those of the people; urgun i doro the ceremony of congratulation.

instrumentality (以), e.g. suhe i with an axe.

an adverbial expression (然), e.g. fafun i legally.

Sometimes the i is left out, e.g. gūnin sukdun the spirit of thought, i.e. energy; siden haha a supernumerary. The first noun is in such cases employed like an adjective.

Of several nouns dependent on one, only the last of the dependent nouns takes the affix, e.g. ama jui i boo the house or houses of the son and of the father. Ama i jui i boo means the houses of the son of the father.

De denotes the situation (in, at), the direction (towards, upon, on), the address (to), the remaining with, according to, the locative and the dative: gurun de in the empire, towards the empire; hoton de in or to the town; doron de according to custom, solemnly; na de on earth; ere niyalma de bumbi to give to this (ere) man (niyalma); tere niyalma de henduhe he spoke with that man; dere de sindambi to place on the table; si aibide genembi where (aibide) are you (si) going to? tuware de ja gojime yabure de mangga though (gojime) easy (ja) to look at (tuware de), it is difficult (mangga) to perform (yabure de); niyalma de it is for man to; abka de it is for heave to (hominis est, cœli est); juwe de gemu sartabure de isinambi to come to (isinambi) delaying (sartabure de) altogether (gemu) in either (juwe de) "雨下裡都至於躭攔" ; gemu like thi Chinese 都 tu is here expletive.

Be denotes the direct complement of the verb, the accusative, e.g. baita de gaimbi to take a thing; erdemui beyebe dasambi by virtue we cultivate the body (beye be ourselves). Be is sometimes used as an expletive, e.g. hūwasabukū mutebukū tacikū tacihiyakū be ilibufi tacibume. hūwasabukū serengge ujire be tacihiyakū serengge tacibure be mutebukū serengge gabtabure be, establish (ilibufi) colleges, academies, schools and gymnasia for the instruction (tacibume) of the people. A college is for nourishment, an academy (and a school) for instruction, a gymnasium for archery (Mencius, Gabelentz p. 90, Legge p. 118). This use of be might be explained as an ellipsis, a verb like to give (bumbi) or to teach (tacimbi) being understood. It may be left out, if the sentence is otherwise clear, e.g. bithe arambi to write a letter.

Ci is the sign of the ablative case (from, out of), denotes separation and is used in comparisons, e.g. ereci amasi henceforward; daci dubede isitala from beginning to end; ubaci goro akū not far from this; ama eniye ci fakcafi, booci aljafi inenggi goidaha taking leave of his father and mother, he was long separated from his family; yaci nenenme jihe bihe which came first?

It serves to form the comparative, e.g. minci amba bigger than myself.

2. Pronouns.

Personal pronouns.bi I, si thou, i he (tere that), be we, muse we, suwe you, ce they. Muse means (like the Pekingese 咱們 tsa men) we that are speaking together, we that belong to one family, one clan, one nation. The above are declined as follows:—

nom.

bi I

be we

muse we

si thou

suwe you

i he, she, it

ce they

gen.

mini

meni

musei

sini

suweni

ini

ceni

dat.

minde

mende

musede

sinde

suwende

inde

cende

acc.

mimbe

membe

musebe

simbe

suwembe

imbe

cembe

abl.

minci

menci

museci

sinci

suwenci

inci

cenci.

For I, myself, etc., beye is added to the genitive: mini beye, sini beye, etc. For he himself ini beye or gūla beye is used.

Possessive Pronouns. These are formed by adding ngge to the genitive of the personal pronouns: miningge mine, siningge thine, etc. Often the genitive without ngge is thus employed: meni morin our horse. Ere this, tere that frequently stand for the third person: terei gūnin his opinion; eseingge theirs, belonging to them.

Demonstrative Pronouns. These are ere this, tere that:—

nom.

ere this

ese these

tere that

tese those

gen.

erei, ereni

esei

terei

tesei

dat.

ede, erede

esede

tede, terede

tesede

acc.

erebe

esebe

terebe

tesebe

abl.

ereci

eseci

tereci

teseci

If used as adjectives, ere and tere do not add the case affixes. Sometimes uba this and tuba that are used, but always alone, not in combination with nouns.

Interrogative Pronouns. These are we (gen. wei, dat. wede, acc. webe, abl. weci) who? ai (acc. aimbe, abl. ainci) what? which? ya who? what? With we are formed weingge, weike which? of what nature? With ai: aibi, ai gese, aiba what? ai yadare how much? aba where? etc. With ya: yaci who? what? yaka how?
At the end of interrogative sentences it is common to append ni or o, e.g. marimbio shall I back out? When following the future participle in ra (re, ro) o sometimes implies a request: mindehūlabureo do cause me to study! (hūlambi to study, hūlabumbi passive or causative, hūlabure future participle)

The higher numerals (up to 100 trillions buju baja) are not originally Manchu, but were introduced into Buddhist works in imitation of Tibetan numerals which again were originally Sanscrit.

The Ordinal Numerals are formed by adding ci to the cardinals, dropping a final n except in juwan ten and tumen ten thousand, in which two the n is part of the root:
The first uju, ujui, ujuci, tuktan, emuci, the very first ujui uju, niongnio, bonggo.
The second jai, jaici, juweci.

The third ilaci

The fourth duici

The fifth sunjaci

The sixth ningguci

The seventh nadaci

The eighth jakūci

The ninth uyuci

The tenth juwanci

The eleventh juwan emuci

The hundredth tanggūci

The thousandth minggaci

The ten thousandth tumenci.

Distributive Numerals are formed by adding ta, te, to, to the cardinals, final n being dropped as with the ordinal numerals (except in juwan 10 and tumen 10000).

In some cases it is doubtful whether the verb is derived from the noun or whether the latter is of verbal derivation: isan a meeting, isambi to meet; iren the track of fish, irenembi to ruffle the water (as fish do).

There are further syllables which, when added to the stem of verbs form new verbs. These are:

ji: wambi to kill, wajimbi to die; arambi to do, aranjimbi to come to do.

na, no, ne: isimbi to come near, isinambi to arrive.

An accumulation fo these syllables frequently occurs: ijumbi--ijurambi--ijursambi to besmear: abalambi to hunt, abalanambi to go hunting, abalanjimbi to come to the hunt, abalandumbi to hunt together; acambi to meet, acalambi to agree upon, acamjambi to collect, acanambi to meet, acandumbi to meet together, acanjimbi to come to meet.

Moods and Tenses. To express the moods and tenses the Manchu verb has 23 forms.

The stem; the moods and tenses are produced by adding the following affixes to the stem of the verb:--

Of these ha (4), ra (5), habi (10), habihe (11), habici (12), and nggala (18) are subjected to the laws of vowel harmony.

Taking in order the parts of the paradigm arambi to write I will now explain each form.

The stem is ara which at the same time seves as the Imperative: ara write!

By adding mbi we obtain the Present Tense: ara--mbi I write (there being no distinction of persons, this stans for I, thou, he, we, you, they write).

Me added to the stem makes the Infinitve: ara--me to write; this form is also an Indefinite Gerund: writing

The affix ha forms the preterite: ara--ha I wrote. It is also a past participle: written, having written.

The affix ra forms the Future: ara--ra I shall write; it is also a participle: writing, going to write.

Ci makes a Conditional Tense: ara--ci I should write, if I wrote, should I write, sometimes to be translated by the present tense implying a doubt.

Ki forms a Subjunctive of the present: ara--ki may he write.

Fi forms a past Gerund: ara--fi having written, after having written.

The above eight are the fundamental forms; the 15 orthers are formed by adding affixes to them, Those which are added to the stem are:--

Mbihe forming an Imperfect Tense: ara--mbihe I was writing.

Habi forming an Indefinite Past: ara--habi I have written.

Habihe forming a Pluperfetc: ara--habihe I had written.

Habici forming a Past Conditional Tense: ara--habici if I had written.

Cibe forming an Adversative: ara--cibe although I may write, even if I write.

Cina forming a Concessive: ara--cina may he write if he likes, may he write what he likes. An old fomr cun (ara--cun) is found in a translation of the Shiking (Book of Odes).

Kini forming an Optative: ara--kini would that he wrote! Cina and kini are also used in an imperative or passive sense.

Mbime forming a Gerund: ara--mbime whilst writing.

Mbifi forming a Gerund: ara--mbifi having written.

Nggala denotes that at thing has not yet been done: ara--nggala before I wrote, before writing.

Mbumbi formin the Passive or Causative Mood: ara--mbumbi is written, causes to write. This then becomes a new verb, which as an independent stem (arambu) takes all the other affixes.

Mbubumbi forming a Causative of the Passive: ara-mbubumbi causes to be written.

The following affixes are added to the forms in ha (4) and ra (5) :--

Ngge forming Verbal Nouns and Adjectives: ara--ha--ngge, ara--ra--ngge that which is written, the writing; that which he has written; he is writing; he who is writing.

Le adds an indefinite meaning: ara--ha--le, ara--ra--le whoever writes, whatever is written. This affix is originally ele (whoever) and the Chinese-Manchu Grammar Tsing Wen Ki Mung (vol. II, fol. 32 b) is wrong in giving two forms le and la, subjecting them to the law of harmony. This form also takes the affix ngge: ara--ha--le--ngge, ara--ra--le--ngge--whosoever is writing.

lame (leme) added to the future in ra (5) renders the meaning adverbial: ara--ra--lame in the manner of writing.

PARADIGM OF ARAMBI TO WRITE.

1.

Imperative

ara

write!

2.

Present Tense

arambi

I write.

3.

Infinitive

arame

to write.

4.

Preterite

araha

I wrote.

5.

Future

arara

I shall write.

6.

Conditional

araci

should I write.

7.

Subjunctive Present

araki

may he write.

8.

Past Gerund

arafi

having written.

9.

Imperfect

arambihe

I was writing.

10.

Indefinite Past

arahabi?

I have written.

11.

Pluperfect

arahabihe

I had written.

12.

Past Conditional

arahabici

if I had written.

13.

Adversative

aracibe

although he may write.

14.

Concessive

aracina

may he write.

15.

Optative

arakini

would that he wrote.

16.

Gerund I.

arambime

whilst writing.

17.

Gerund„ II.

arambifi

having written.

18.

Gerund„ III.

aranggala

before writing.

19.

Passive

arambumbi

it is written.

20.

Causative or Passive

arambubumbi

I cause to be written.

21.

Verbal Noun

arahangge, ararangge

the writing, the writer.

22.

Indefinite

arahale, ararale

whoever writes.

23.

Adverbial

araralame

in the manner of writing.

IRREGULARITIES.

The following verbs have an irregular Imperative:—

baimbi

to request

--baisu.

bimbi

to be

--bisu.

gaimbi

to receive

--gaisu.

jembi

to eat

--jefu.

jimbi

to come

--jio, ju.

ombi

to become

--oso.

tucimbi

to go forth

--tusinu

wasimbi

to fall

--wasinu

wesimb

ito rise

--wesinu

The sign of the Past Tense ha, he, ho, ka, ke, ko, ngka, ngke, ngko, and the sign of the Future ra, re, ro, ndara, ndere, ndoro are subject to the laws of vowel harmony. The general rules are:---

A number of verbs, however, contrary to the above rules, take ha, ra; ha, re; he re; ho, ro; ka, ra; ka, re; ke, re; ko, ro; ha and ka, ra; ha and ka, re; ha and ke, re; ha and he, re; ha and ko, ro; ke and ho, ro; he and ke, re; ho and ko, ro; ke and ko, ro. It would be to no purpose to give the long lists of these verbs, Sakharoff's Dictionary gives the affixes used by each verb.

The following verbs are found only as participles in ka, ke and ko: fuseke, niyekseke, oyoko, sureke, uldeke, undarako.

Certain verbs form the Preterite in ngka, ngke, ngko, the future in ndara, ndere, ndoro. Other form the Past Gerund in pi, mpi instead of in fi The following liste gives the vergs with these irregualarities, incluyding the verbs already mentioned
with irregular Imperatives.

LIST OF IRREGULAR VERBS.

Verb.

Imperative.

Preterite.

Future.

Past Gerund.

bahambi

baha

baimbi

baisu

baiha

baire

bambi

bangka

bandara

bimbi

bisu

bihe

bisire

bisarambi

bisarapi

bombi

bongko

bore, bondoro

infin. bonme

cambi

caha, cangka

cara

cafi

colgorombi

colgoroko

colgororo

colgoropi

dahambi

daha

deserembi

deserepi

duksembi

duksepi

dulembi

dulepi

eldembi

eldeke

eldere

eldepi

eyembi

eyepi

falarambi

falarapi

farambi

faraha, faraka

farara

farapi

febumbi (fembi)

febuhe

febure

fempi

fombi

foha

fore

fompi, condit. fomci

fosombi

fosopi

fumbi

fungke

fumpi

gaimbi

gaisu

gaiha

gaire

gajimbi

gaju

gerembi

gerehe, gereke

gerere, gerendere

gombi

goha

gondoro

guwembi

guwengke

guwendere

guwempi, cond. guwen

gūmbi

gūha

gūndere

gūwaliyambi (hū)

gūwaliyaka

gūwaliyara

gūwaliyapi, hūwaliyapi

hafumbi

hafuka

hafundere

hafupi

hatambi

hataha

hatara, hatandara

juilambi

jailaha

jailara, jailandara

jaksambi

jaksapi

jalambi

jalaka

jalara, jalandra

jalapi

jalumbi

jaluka

jalura

jalupi

jembi

jefu

jeke, jengke

jetere, jendere

jempi

jimbi

jio, ju

jihe

jidere

jombi

jongko

jondoro

jompi, cond. jonci, opt. jongki

jumbi

jungke

jure

jumpi, opt. jubki

jurambi

jurapi

juwambi

juwangka, juwaka

juwara, jore

juwampi

niorombi

nioropi

ombi, oombi

oso

oho

ojoro

sambi

sangka

sara

sampi

sembi

sengke

sere

sosombi

sosoko

sosoro

sosopi

sumbi

sungke, suhe

sure

šahūrambi

šahūraka

šahūrara

šahūrapi

šambi

šangka, šaha

šara

šarambi

šarapi

šumbi

šungke

šure

šumpi

teyembi

teyehe

teyere, teyendere

tucimbi

tucinu

tucihe, tucike

tucire

ukambi

ukaha, ukaka

ukara, ukandara

wasimbi

wasinu

wasika, ha

wasire

wembi

wengke

were, wendere

wempi, inf. weme

wesimbi

wesinu

wesike

wesire

wesipi

yombi

yoha

yoro, yondoro

yumbi

yungke

yudere, yundere

yumpi

The Verb in the Negative.

Negation is expressed by akū not, is not (無, 不, 未, 沒有), waka not, no (不是), ume (莫) do not, unde not yet, umai not, not at all.

When joined to the Present Tense akū simply follows: bi gisurembi akū I do not speak. With other verbal forms akū loses its a: araha--kū he has not written, genehe--kū he did not go. Joined to the Future the a of akū remains: arar--akū he will not write, gener--akū he will not go. The affixes ci, fi, and ngge follow akū: generakūci if he does not go, akūfi not existing, bisirakūngge those who are not present (不在的). When alone akū takes the regular affixes: bi akūmbi I am not. A double negation often occurs, akūngge akū (無不): serakungge akū nothing unsaid, he
says everything.

In interrogative sentences akū adds an n: si sembi akūn will you eat or not?

Waka not, no, is either employed like akū, but without taking the affixes, or stands at the beginning of a sentence and then means no: manju bithe hūlambi wakao do you not study Manchu?

Ume followed by the verb in the Future Tense (ra) expresses prohibition: ume fusikūsara do not despise; ume gunire do not think.

Unde is preceded by the verb in the Future Tense (ra): bi sabure unde I have not yet seen.

5. Adverbs.

Manchu adverbs are either primitive or derived from nouns, pronouns, numerals or verbs.

Primitive Adverbs are indeclinable words like inu yes, coro after to-morrow, etc., of which there are a great number.

Nouns are transformed into Adverbs by the affix i: an-i according to custom; de: doron de solemnly; ci: daci from the beginning, naturally; dari: biyadari monthly. Many adjectives, especially those ending in saka, cuka, cuke may be used as Adverbs.

The Pronouns furnish a great number of Adverbs: aid where?, aibaci wherefrom?, etc.

Most of the Numerals may be used as Adverbs. To the Ordinal Numerals de is added: jaide secondly. Others are formed by adding geri, nggeri, jergi, mudan, mari: emgeri once; ilanggeri thrice; emu mudan, emu mari once. Leme forms multiplicative Adverbs: tumenleme 10000 fold.

The verbal forms in me (arame), mbime (arambime), leme, lame preceded by the verb in the Future Tense (araralame) may all be used as adverbial expressions.

Many Adverbs are formed by adding the negation akū: erin akū never; hercun akū
unexpectedly.

6. Postpositions.

These are either simple or compound.

The Simple Postpositions are the case affixes i, de, ci: i with, with the help of: suhe i with the axe; de in, at, on, towards, upon, to: hoton de in or to the town; ci from, out of: boo ci from the house.

The Compound Postpositions follow the noun without any case affix or are preceded by i, de, be, or ci: omoi jakade near the pond; alin de isitala as far as the mountain; fafun be dahame in accordance with the law; julge ci ebsi from antiquity.

7. Conjunctions.

Beside several postpositions being used as Conjunctions like jakade when, because, isitala as soon as, turgunde as, because, etc., there are primitive Conjunctions like uthai therefore, damu but, and derivatives of verbs like cohome consequently, tuwame with regard to, oci (from ombi) if, ocibe although, ofi because, of nouns like fonde at the time when, bade when, of pronouns like aibe......aibe as well as, and of numerals like emgeri......emgeri now... ..now.

8. Interjections.

There is a great variety of Interjections in Manchu: ai ah, ara alas, yaha ah, adada bravo, cibse hush, takasu stop, cu off, etc. A number of onomatepoetic interjections are used as verbs when followed by sembi (to speak): kab snap, kab sembi to snap at; kanggūr kinggur helter-skelter, with sembi to fall with a great noise.

III. Syntax.

The position of words in a sentence is governed by the general rule, that every word precedes that by which it is governed. Thus the genitive stands before the noun on which it depends, e.g. boo i ejen the master of the house.

The adjective, participle, or demonstrative pronoun precedes its noun, e.g. nikan mudan the Chinese pronunciation; mutere baita a thing which can be done; tere niyalma that man.

The object stands before its governing verb, e.g. bithe arambi I write a letter.

The verb stands last in the sentence and can only be followed by a conjunction. The
sentence "when I had given that thing to my father yesterday" would be rendered in Manchu: sikse (yesterday) bi (I) mini ama de (to my father) tere (that) baita be (thing) buhabike (pluperfect of bumbi to give) manggi (when).

Subordinate verbs precede the conclusive verb and thake the form of the Past Gerund in fi or the Conditional in ci, e.g. cooha be gaifi amasi bederehe he took (gaifi, Past Gerund of gaimbi) the army (cooha be) and retreated (bederehe, Preterit of bederembi ) backwards (amasi); having collected his army he retreated.

Coordinate verbs standing first in the same sentence take the form of the Infinitive (or Gerund) in me and only the last verb takes the tense affix required, e.g. muse niyalma jalan de banjifi inenggidari jabošome seoleme, beye dubentele kiceme faššame dulekengge be amcame aliyara gosihon babi, we men (muse niyalma) having been born (banjifi, Past Gerund of banjimbi) into the world (jalan de), are daily (inenggidari) afflicted (jobošome, Gerund of jobošombi) and vexed (seoleme, Gerund of seolembi), till the end (dubentele) we fatigue (kiceme, Gerund of kicembi) and exert (faššame, Gerund of faššambi) ourselves (beye), expecting (aliy ara, Future Participle of aliyambi) again and again (amcame) that which is past (dulekengge be) we are really (babi) miserable (gosihon).

The following pages will serve as reading lessons and as exercises for the elucidation of Manchu syntax. The text is taken from the "Tanggū meyen" (Hundred Chapters) a book of Manchu-Chinese dialogues, v. page 10 of my "Essay on Manchu Literature" in Journal of C. B. or R. A. S. vol. xxiv (1890). The Chinese version of these dialogues is familiar to every student of Chinese, as it forms the "Hundred Lessons" in the Tzū-êrh-chi of Sir Thomas Wade, of whose classical English translation I have availed myself. By comparing the Chinese of these dialogues
the interesting fact will be noticed that certain peculiarities of Pekingese are Manchuisms foreign to ordinary "Mandarin."

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ᡩᠣᠨᠵᡳᠴᡳ ᠰᡳ ᡨᡝ ᠮᠠᠨᠵᡠ ᠪᡳᡨᡥᡝ ᡨᠠᠴᡳᠮᠪᡳ ᠰᡝᠮᠪᡳ᠈

ᡠᠮᡝᠰᡳ ᠰᠠᡳᠨ᠈ ᠮᠠᠨᠵᡠ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᠨ ᠰᡝᡵᡝᠩᡤᡝ᠈ ᠮᡠᠰᡝᡳ ᡠᠵᡠᡳ

ᡠᠵᡠ ᠣᠶᠣᠩᡤᠣ ᠪᠠᡳᡨᠠ᠈ ᡠᡨᡥᠠᡳ ᠨᡳᡴᠠᠰᠠᡳ ᠮᡝᠨᡳ ᠮᡝᠨᡳ ᠪᠠ

ᡳ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᠨ ᡳ ᠠᡩᠠᠯᡳ᠈ ᠪᠠᡥᠠᠨᠠᡵᠠᡴᡡᠴᡳ ᠣᠮᠪᡳᠣ᠈

Senior. So I hear you are studying Manchu, eh? that's right. Manchu is with us Manchus the first and foremost of essentials; it is to us, in short, what the language spoken in his own part of the country is to a Chinese; so it would never do to be without a knowledge of Manchu, would it?

donjici, Condit. tense (6) of donjimbi to hear: I hear, but I am not sure, whether it is so

nikasai, pl. of nikan Chinese (nikasa) with gen. affix i of the Chinese

meni meni every

ba place

i genitive affix

gisun word, speech

i genitive affix

adali alike, similar to

bahanarakūci Fut. (5) of bahanambi comprehend, with negation akū and oci Conditional (6) of ombi to be, you should know

ombio Pres. Tense (2) of ombi to be, with interrogative o, will that do?

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ᡳᠨᡠ ᠸᠠᡴᠠ ᠣᠴᡳ ᠠᡳ᠈ ᠪᡳ ᠵᡠᠸᠠᠨ ᠠᠨᡳᠶᠠ ᡶᡠᠨᠴᡝᠮᡝ ᠨᡳᡴᠠᠨ

ᠪᡳᡨᡥᡝ ᡨᠠᠴᡳᡥᠠ᠈ ᡨᡝᡨᡝᠯᡝ ᡠᠮᠠᡳ ᡩᡠᠪᡝ ᡩᠠ ᡨᡠᠴᡳᡵᠠᡴᡡ᠈

ᠵᠠᡳ ᠠᡳᡴᠠᠪᠠᡩᡝ ᠮᠠᠨᠵᡠ ᠪᡳᡨᡥᡝ ᡥᡡᠯᠠᡵᠠᡴᡡ᠈ ᡠᠪᠠᠯᡳᠶᠠᠮᠪᡠᡵᡝ

ᠪᡝ ᡨᠠᠴᡳᡵᠠᡴᡡ ᠣᠴᡳ᠈ ᠵᡠᠸᡝ ᡩᡝ ᡤᡝᠮᡠ ᠰᠠᡵᡨᠠᠪᡠᡵᡝ ᡩᡝ ᡳᠰᡳᠨᠠᠮᠪᡳ

Junior. To be sure not. I have been studying Chinese for over ten years, but I am still as far as ever from seeing my way in it. Then if I can't master Manju and learn to translate, I shall have broken down at both ends of the line.

inu yes, indeed

waka not

oci Cond. (6) of ombi to be, it may

ai what?

bi I

juwan ten

aniya year

funceme Inf. (3) of funcembi to exceed, coordinate definite verb followed by taciha: I have exceeded and learned

nikan Chinese

bithe book

taciha Pret. (4) of tacimbi to learn: I have learned

tetele from te now and tele till; up to the present, still

umai not at all

dube point, end, extreme

da beginning dube da the very beginning

tucirakū Fut. (5) of tucimbi to appear, with akū not: it does not appear

jai second, further

aikabade if

manju Manchu

bithe book

hūlarakū Fut. (5) of hūlambi to read, to study, with akū not: shall not study

ubaliyambure Fut. partic. (5) of ubaliyam-bumbi to translate

be accusative affix

tacirakū Fut. (5) of tacimbi to learn with akū not

oci Cond. (6) of ombi to be

juwe de two, with postpos. in

gemu both, alike

sartabure Fut. (5) of sartabumbi to be delayed

de postpos. to

isinambi to arrive

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ᡨᡠᡨᡨᡠ ᠣᡶᡳ᠈ ᠪᡳ ᡝᠮᡩᡝ ᠣᠴᡳ᠈ ᠠᡤᡝ ᠪᡝ ᡨᡠᠸᠠᠨᠵᡳᡥᠠ᠈ ᠵᠠᡳ ᡩᡝ

ᠣᠴᡳ᠈ ᡤᡝᠯᡳ ᠰᠠᡴᡩᠠ ᠠᡥᡡᠨ ᡩᡝ ᠪᠠᡳᡵᡝ ᠪᠠᠪᡳ᠈ ᡩᠠᠮᡠ ᠪᠠᡳᠪᡳ

ᠠᠩᡤᠠ ᠵᡠᠸᠠᡵᠠ ᡩᡝ ᠮᠠᠩᡤᠠ᠈ ᡝᡩᡝ ᠠᡳᠪᡳ᠈ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᠨ ᠪᡳᠴᡳ᠈ ᡠᡨᡥᠠᡳ

ᡤᡳᠰᡠᡵᡝ᠈ ᠮᡳᠨᡳ ᠮᡠᡨᡝᡵᡝ ᠪᠠᡳᡨᠠ ᠣᠴᡳ᠈ ᠰᡳᠨᡩᡝ ᠪᡳ ᡤᡝᠯᡳ ᠮᠠᡵᠠᠮᠪᡳᠣ᠈

So I am come to-day, sir, in the first place, to pay my respects to you, and, in the next, to ask a favour of you. I find it not so easy to open the subject, however.

Senior. What's your difficulty? pray say what you have got to say. If it's anything that I can do for you, do you
suppose that, with the relations existing between us, I shall try to back out?

uttu thus

ofi Past Gerund (8) of ombi to be: having been

emude firstly

oci Cond. (6) of ombi to be

age elder brother, sir

be accusative affix

tuwanjiha Pret. (4) of tuwanjimbi to call (composed of tuwambi to see and jimbi to come)

jaide secondly

oci Cond. (6) of ombi to be

geli also

sakda old, experienced

ahun elder brother

de dative affix

baire Fut. Participle (5) of baimbi to request

babi from ba place, occasion and bi there is

damu but

baibi only

angga mouth

juwara Fut. Part. (5) of juwambi to open

de in

mangga difficult

ede so, then

aibi (from ai what and bi is) what?

gisun word, speech

bici Cond. (6) of bimbi to be: if there are words

uthai then

gisure Imp. (1) of gisurembi to speak

mini (gen of bi I) my

mutere Fut. Part. (5) of mutembi to be able to do

baita matter

oci Cond. (6) of ombi to be

sinde dative of si thou

bi I

geli too

marimbio to turn the head away, to back out, with interrogative o.

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ᠮᡳᠨᡳ ᠪᠠᡳᡵᡝᠩᡤᡝ᠈ ᠠᡤᡝ ᡤᠣᠰᡳᠴᡳ᠈ ᡧᠠᡩᠠᠮᠪᡳ ᠰᡝᠮᡝ ᠠᡳᠨᠠᡵᠠ᠈

ᡧᠣᠯᠣ ᡧᠣᠯᠣ ᡩᡝ᠈ ᡠᡩᡠ ᠮᡝᠶᡝᠨ ᠮᠠᠨᠵᡠ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᠨ ᠪᠠᠨᠵᡳᠪᡠᡶᡳ᠈ ᠮᡳᠨᡩᡝ

ᡥᡡᠯᠠᠪᡠᡵᡝᠣ᠈ ᡩᡝᠣ ᠪᡳ ᠪᠠᡥᠠᡶᡳ ᡥᡡᠸᠠᡧᠠᠴᡳ᠈ ᡤᡝᠮᡠ ᠠᡤᡝ

ᡳ ᡴᡝᠰᡳ ᡴᠠᡳ᠈

Junior. What I have to ask, then, is this: that you will so far take an interest in me as to put yourself to a little trouble on my account; I will tell you how. Find time, if you can, to compose a few phrases in Manchu for me to study, and if I manage to succeed at all, I shall regard it entirely as your work.

mini my

bairengge Fut. Part. (21) of baimbi to request: that which I shall request

hūlabureo Future (5) of causative of hūlambi to read, to study with o implying a request: please cause me to study

deo younger brother

bi I

bahafi Past Ger. (8) of bahambi to obtain, to succeed

hūwašaci Cond. (6) of hūwašambi to increase, to prosper

gemu entirely

age elder brother, sir

i genitive affix

kesi grace

kai is (final particle).

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ᠠᡳᠨᠠᡥᠠ ᠰᡝᠮᡝ ᠪᠠᡳᠯᡳ ᠪᡝ ᠣᠩᡤᠣᡵᠠᡴᡡ᠈ ᡠᡵᡠᠨᠠᡴᡡ

ᡠᠵᡝᠯᡝᠮᡝ ᡴᠠᡵᡠᠯᠠᡴᡳ᠈ ᠠᡳᠨᡠ ᡠᡨᡨᡠ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᡵᡝᠮᠪᡳ᠈ ᠰᡳ ᠠᡳᡴᠠ

ᡤᡠᡵᡠᠨ ᡤᡡᠸᠠᠣ ᡩᠠᠮᡠ ᠰᡳᠨᡳ ᡨᠠᠴᡳᡵᠠᡴᡡ ᠪᡝ ᡥᡝᠨᡩᡠᠮᠪᡳ ᡩᡝᡵᡝ

ᡨᠠᠴᡳᡴᡳ ᠰᡝᠴᡳ ᡨᡝᡨᡝᠨᡩᡝᡵᡝ᠈ ᠨᡳ ᠨᡝᡴᡠᠯᡝᡶᡳ ᠰᡳᠮᠪᡝ ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᠣᡴᡳᠨᡳ ᠰᡝᠮᠪᡳᡴᠠᡳ

Sir, I shall never forget your kindness, and shall not fail to repay it handsomely.

Senior. What are you talking about? you are one of us, are you not? My only fear would have been that you were not anxious to learn; but, since you are willing, I shall be only too glad to contribute to your success.

Talk of handsome return, indeed! people as intimate as you and I are should never use such language to one another.

Junior. Well, sir, if that's the way of it, I ams sure I feel extremely obliged. I have only to make you my best bow, and I shall say no more.

karulaki Subj. (7) of karulambi to repay

serengge Verbal Noun (21) of sembi to say: that which you said

ai what?

gisun word, speech

musei gen. of muse we, we two

dolo interior, in the family

gisureci Cond. (6) of gisurembi to speak

ombio to be, can, may, with interrogative o: will that do?

tuttu thus

oci Cond. (6) of ombi to be

bi I

hukšehe Pret. (4) of hukšembi to be thankful

seme Inf. or Ger. (3) of sembi to say

wajirakū Fut. (5) of wajimbi to end, with akū not: infinitely

damu only

hengkišeme Inf. or Ger. (3) of hengkišembi to prostrate oneself

baniha thanks

bure Fut. (5) of bumbi to give

dabala only

geli besides

ai what?

sere Fut. (5) of sembi to say

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ᠠᡤᡝ ᠰᡳᠨᡳ ᠮᠠᠨᠵᡠ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᠨ᠈ ᠠᡳ ᡧᠣᠯᠣ ᡩᡝ ᡨᠠᠴᡳᡥᠠ᠈ ᠮᡠᡩᠠᠨ ᡤᠠᡳᡵᡝᠩᡤᡝ

ᠰᠠᡳᠨ ᠪᡳᠮᡝ ᡨᠣᠮᠣᡵᡥᠣᠨ᠈ ᠮᡳᠨᡳ ᠮᠠᠨᠵᡠ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᠨ ᠪᡝ ᠠᡳ ᡩᠠᠪᡠᡶᡳ

ᡤᡳᠰᡠᡵᡝᡵᡝ ᠪᠠᠪᡳ᠈ ᠠᡤᡝ ᡤᠣᠰᡳᠮᡝ ᠣᡶ᠋‍ᡳ ᡠᡨᡨᡠ ᡩᠠᠪᠠᠯᡳ ᠮᠠᡴᡨᠠᡵᠪᡳ᠈

ᠮᡳᠨᡳ ᡝᠮᡠ ᡤᡠᠴᡠ ᡳ ᠮᠠᠨᠵᡠ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᠨ ᠰᠠᡳᠨ᠈

II. Senior. Why, when did you find, time to learn all the Manchu you know sir? Your pronunciation is good and you speak quite intelligibly.

Junior. Oh, sir, you are too complimentary. My Manchu does not amount to anything. There's a friend of mine who really does talk well;

age elder brother, sir

sini thy

manju Manchu

gisun word, speech

ai what?

šolo leisure

de in

taciha Pret. (4) of tacimbi to learn

mudan pronunciation

gairengge Verbal Noun (21) of gaimbi to take, to obtain

sain good

bime Ger. (3) of bimbi to be

tomorhon clear

mini my

manju Manchu

gisun word, speech

be accusative affix

ai what?

dabufi Past. Ger. (8) of dabumbi to count

gisurere Fut. Part. of gisurembi to speak

babi from ba place and bi it is

age elder brother, sir

gosime Ger. (3) of gosimbi to love

ofi Past Gerund (8) of ombi to be

uttu thus

dabali excessively

maktara Fut. (5) of maktambi to praise

mini my

emu one

gucu friend

i genitive affix

manju Manchu

gisun word, speech

sain good

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ᡤᡝᡨᡠᡴᡝᠨ ᠪᡳᠮᡝ ᡩᠠᠴᡠᠨ᠈ ᠮᠠᠵᡳᡤᡝ ᠨᡳᡴᠠᠨ ᠮᡠᡩᠠᠨ ᠠᡴᡡ᠈ ᡠᠮᡝᠰᡳ

ᡠᡵᡝᡥᡝᠪᡳ᠈ ᡨᡠᡨᡨᡠ ᠪᡳᠮᡝ ᡧᠠᠨ ᡤᡝᠯᡳ ᡶᡝ᠈ ᡨᡝᡵᡝ ᡨᡝᠨᡳ ᠮᠠᠩᡤᠠ

ᠰᡝᠴᡳ ᠣᠮᠪᡳ᠈ ᡨᡝᡵᡝ ᠰᡳᠨᠴᡳ ᠠᠨᡨᠠᡴᠠ᠈ ᠪᡳ ᠠᡨ᠋ᠠᡵᠠᠮᡝ ᡳᠨᡩᡝ ᡩᡠᡳᠪᡠᠯᡝᠴᡳ

ᠣᠮᠪᡳᠨᡳ᠈ ᡶᡠᡥᠠᠯᡳ ᡨᡝᡨ᠊ᡝ ᠪᠠᡴ᠋ᠴᡳᠨ ᠸᠠᡴᠠ᠈

He is thoroughly at home in the language—intelligible, fluent, and speaks without a particle of Chinese accent,he is quite proficient. Then, besides, he has such a stock of words and phrases. Now, that is what one may call a good scholar, if you please

Senior. How does he compare with you?

Junior. Me! I should never venture to compare myself with him; I am as far from being his match

getuken intelligible

bime Ger. (3) of bimbi to be

dacun quick, fluent

majige little

nikan Chinese

mudan pronunciation

akū not

umesi very

urehebi Indef. Past (10) of urembi to be ripe, proficient

tuttu thus

bime Ger. (3) of bimbi to be

šan ear

geli further

fe old, the meaning is: he has heard much old language

tere he

teni high, with adverbial affix i

mangga difficult, qualified

seci Cond. (6) of sembi to say, to call

ombi to be

tere he

sinci from si thou and ci from, to express the comparative

antaka how?

bi I

adarame how?

inde dat. of i he: to him

duibuleci Cond. (6) of duilembi to compare

ombini to be, with interrogative ni: would that do?

fuhali altogether

tede dat. of tere he

bakcin rival, match

waka not

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ᠠᠪᡴᠠ ᠨᠠ ᡳ ᡤᡝᠰᡝ ᡤᡳᠶᠠᠯᠠᠪᡠᡥᠠᠪᡳ᠈ ᡨᡠᡵᡤᡠᠨᡩᡝ ᠠᡳ ᠰᡝᠴᡳ᠈ ᡳᠨᡳ

ᡨᠠᠴᡳᡥᠠᠩᡤᡝ ᡧᡠᠮᡳᠨ᠈ ᠪᠠᡥᠠᠨᠠᡥᠠᠩᡤᡝ ᠯᠠᠪᡩᡠ᠈ ᠪᡳᡨᡥᡝᡩᡝ ᠠᠮᡠᡵᠠᠨ᠈

ᡨᡝᡨᡝᠯᡝ ᡥᠣᠨᠣ ᠠᠩᡤᠠ ᠴᡳ ᡥᠣᡴᠣᠪᡠᡵᠠᡴᡡ ᡥᡡᠯᠠᠮᠪᡳ᠈ ᡤᠠᠯᠠ ᠴᡳ

ᠠᠯᠵᠠᠪᡠᡵᠠᡴᡡ ᡨᡠᠸᠠᠮᠪᡳ᠈ ᡳᠮᠪᡝ ᠠᠮᠴᠠᡴᡳ ᠰᡝᠴᡳ ᠶᠠᠯᠠ ᠮᠠᠩᡤᠠ᠈

as the heavens are from the earth.

Senior. What is the reason of that?

Junior. Oh, he has been much longer at it, and knows a great deal more. Then he is very studious; he has been committing to memory steadily ever since he began, without stopping; the book is never out of his hand. I should have trouble enough to come up to him.

abka heaven

na earth

i genitive affix

gese equal

sandalabuhabi Ind. Past. (10) of sandalabumbi to be separated.

turgun reason

ai what?

seci Cond. (6) of sembi to say, call

ini his

tacihangge verbal noun (21) of tacimbi to learn

šumin deep

bahanahangge Verbal Noun (21) of bahanambi to comprehend

labdu much

bithe book

de in, for

amuran having a passion for

tetele till now

hono also

angga mouth

ci from

hokoburakū Fut. (5) of hokobumbi to leave off, with akū not

hūlambi to read, study

gala hand

ci from

aljaburakū Fut. of aljabumbi to separate, with akū not

tuwambi to see, to look

imbe him

amcaki Subj. (7) of amcambi to reach

seci Cond. of sembi to say

yala certainly

mangga difficult

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3

4

ᠠᡤᡝ ᠰᡳᠨᡳ ᡝᡵᡝ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᠨ᠈ ᠮᠠᠵᡳᡤᡝ ᡨᠠᡧᠠᡵᠠᠪᡠᡥᠠᡴᡡ ᠰᡝᠮᡝᠣ᠈ ᡥᡳᠩ ᠰᡝᡵᡝ

ᠣᠴᡳ᠈ ᡥᠠᡩᠠ ᡥᠠᡶᡠᠮᠪᡳ ᠰᡝᡥᡝᠪᡳ᠉ ᡨᡝᡵᡝ ᡳᠨᡠ ᡨᠠᠴᡳᡶᡳ ᠪᠠᡥᠠᠨᠠᡥᠠᠩᡤᡝ ᡩᠠᠪᠠᠯᠠ

ᡠᠮᠠᡳ ᠪᠠᠨᠵᡳᡨᠠᡳ ᠪᠠᡥᠠᠨᠠᡵᠠᠩᡤᡝ ᠸᠠᡴᠠ ᡴᠠᡳ᠈ ᠮᡠᠰᡝ ᡨᡝᡩᡝ ᡳᠰᡳᡵᠠᡴᡡᠩᡤᡝ

ᠶᠠ ᠪᠠ᠈

Senior. Nay, my young friend, I think you are making a slight mistake. Don't you remember what the proverb says: “If you are constant, you will penetrate a rock”? What he knows he knows only because he has learnt it; it has not come to him by intuition. And are we in any way otherwise constituted? not at all!

age elder brother, sir

sini thy

ere this

gisun word, speech

majige little

tašarabuhakū Pret. (4) of tašarabumbi to cause an error, with akū not

semeo Inf. or Ger. (3) of sembi to say, to think, with terrogative o

danjici Cond. (6) of donjimbi to hear

hing with sembi to he careful, constant

sere Fut. (5) of sembi to say

oci Cond. (6) of ombi to be: if

hada rock

de in

hafumbi to penetrate

sehebi Indef. Past (10) of sembi to say

tere he

inu yes, also

tacifi Past Ger. (8) of tacimbi to learn

bahanahangge Verbal Noun (21) of bahanambi to comprehend

dabala only

umai not at all

banjinjigi Past Ger. (8) of banjinjimbi to come into life

bahanahangge Verbal Noun (21) bahanambi to comprehend

waka not

kai is, final particle

muse we (two)

tede dat. of tere he: to hime

isirakūngge Verbal Noun (21) of isimbi to arrive, with akū not

ya whatsoever

ba place

1

2

3

4

ᡳ ᠠᡳ ᡥᠠᠴᡳᠨ ᡳ ᠪᠠᡥᠠᠨᠠᡥᠠ ᠣᡵᡝᡥᡝ ᠣᡴᡳᠨᡳ᠈ ᠮᡠᠰᡝ ᡩᠠᠮᡠ

ᠮᡠᠵᡳᠯᡝᠨ ᠪᡝ ᡨᡝᠩ ᠰᡝᠮᡝ ᠵᠠᡶᠠᡶᡳ᠈ ᡤᡡᠨᡳᠨ ᡤᡳᡵᡴᡡᡶᡳ ᡨᠠᠴᡳᠴᡳ

ᡠᡩᡠ ᡨᡝᡵᡝ ᡨᡝᠨ ᡩᡝ ᡳᠰᡳᠨᠠᠮᡝ ᠮᡠᡨᡝᡵᠠᡴᡡ ᠪᡳᠴᡳᠪᡝ

ᡳᠨᡠ ᡠᡵᡠᠨᠠᡴᡡ ᡥᠠᠮᡳᠨᠠᠮᠪᡳᡩᡝᡵᡝ᠉

Well, then, no matter how exact or practised a speaker he may be, all we have to do is to make up our mind and apply ourselves to the language; and if we don't quite reach the point he has attained, we shall not be very far behind him, I suspect.

i he

ai what?

hacin kind

i genitive affix

bahanaha Pret. (4) of bahanambi to comprehend

urehe Pret. (4) of urembi to be proficient

okini Opt. (15) of ombi to be, may

muse we

damu only

mujilen heart

be accusative affix

teng with sembi to be firm

seme Ger. (3) of sembi to say

jafafi Past Ger. (8) of jafambi to take

gūnin thought

girkūfi Past Ger. (8) of girkūmbi to exert

tacici Cond. (6) of tacimbi to learn

udu although

tere that

'ten hight

de to, at

isiname Ger. (3) of isinambi to arrive

muterakū Fut. (5) of mutembi to be able, with akū not

bicibe Advers. (13) of bimbi to be

inu yes, certainly

urunakū without doubt

haminambi to come near

dere final particle expressing a presumption.

1

2

3

4

ᠰᡳ ᠨᡳᡴᠠᠨ ᠪᡳᡨ᠌ᡥᡝ ᠪᠠᡥᠠᠨᠠᡵᠠ

III. Senior. As to becoming a translator of Manchu, you are a Chinese scholar, and you can have no difficulty in learning to translate. All you need is an exclusive devotion of your mind to the one subject. Don't let anything interfere with your studies, and let these be progressive; and in two or three years,

si thou

nikan Chinese

bithe book

bahanara Fut. Part. (5) of bahanambi to comprehend

niyalma man

kai is, final particle

ubaliyambure Fut. (5) of ubaliyambumbi to translate

be accusative affix

tacici Cond. (6) of tacimbi to learn

umesi very

ja easy

dabala only

gūnin thought

girkūfi Past Ger. (8) of girkūmbi to exert

giyalan interval

lakcan interruption

akū not

emu one; emu anani one after the other without interruption

tacime Ger. (3) of tacimbi to learn

ohode supposing, if

juwe two

ilan three

aniya year

i genitive affix

siden middle

de in

1

2

3

4

as a matter of course, you will be well on your way. If you glow for one day and are cold for ten days in your study, you may read for 20 years, but it will come to nothing.

IV. Junior. Will you do me the favour to look over these translations, sir, and make a few corrections?

ini cisui as a matter of course

dube point, end, extreme

da beginning, dube da the very beginning

tucimbi to come out

aika if

emu one

inenggi day

fiyakiyara Fut. (5) of fiyakiyambi to glow

juwan ten

inenggi day

šahūrara Fut. (5) of šahūrambi to be cold

adali like, similar to

tacici Cond. (6) of tacimbi to learn

utahi then

orin twenty

aniya year

bithe book

hūlaha Pret. (4) of hūlambi to read, study

seme Ger. (3) of sembi to say

inu yes, truly

mangga difficult

kai is, final particle

age elder brother, sir

mini my

ubaliyambuhangge Verbal Noun (21) of ubaliyambumbi to translate

be accusative affix

tuwafi Past Ger. (8) of tuwambi to look at

majige little

dasatarao Fut. (5) of dasatambi to correct with o implying a request.

1

2

3

4

Senior. Oh, come, you really have made very great progress; every sentence runs as it should; every word is clear;
I have not a fault to find. If you go up for your examination, success is in your own hands.

V. Senior. Have you returned yourself as a candidate at these examinations that are coming off now?

Junior. I should be glad enough to stand,

sini thy

tacihangge Verbal Noun (21) of tacimbi to learn

labdu much

nonggibuha Pret. (4) of nonggibumbi to make progress

gisun word, speech

tome all

ijishūn proper

hergen letter

aname singly

tomorhon clear

majige little

cilcin fault

akū not

simneci Cond. (6) of simnembi to be examined

seferehei Past Part. (4) of seferembi to take in the hand, with i, which makes the word an adverb

bahambi to obtain.

ere this

mudan time

ubaliyambure Fut. Part. (5) of ubaliyambumbi to translate

be accusative affix

simnere Fut. Part. (5) of simnembi to be examined

de in

gebu name

alibuhao Pret. (4) of alibumbi to offer, with interrogative o

akūn or not?

simneci Cond. (6) of simnembi to be examined

oci Cond. (6) of ombi to be

esi certainly

sain good

oci Cond. (6) of ombi to be

1

2

3

4

but I am afraid that, being a B. A., I am not qualified.

Senior. What? when any bannerman can go up, do you mean to say that a man of your attainments would not be allowed to? Nonsense! why, even the boys from public schools may stand;

damu only

bithei book, with gen. affix i (文 wén)

šusai B. A. (秀才 hsiu t'sai)

ainahai how should it?

ombini to be, it will do, with interrogative particle ni

wei whose?

kooli custom

sini thy

gesengge similar

jakūn eight

gūsa banner

gemu all

simneci Cond. (6) of simnembi to be examined

ombime Ger. I (16) of ombi to be, may

sini thy

beye body, self

teile only

simneburakū Fut. Pass. (5) of simnembi to be examined, with akū not: will not be allowed to be examined

doro rule

bio is, with interrogative o

tere that

anggala not only

jurgangga public (義 i)

tacikūi school, with gen. affix. i

juse plural of jui son, child, scholar

gemu all

ojoro Fut. (5) of ombi to be, may

bade when

1

2

3

4

and if so, how should a B. A. not be qualified? my younger brother is now working as hard as he can at Manchu for the little time that remains before he has to go up. Don't you throw away the opportunity. Add your name
to the list at once.

šusai B. A.

be accusative affix

ai what?

hendure Fut. (5) of hendumbi to speak

simneci Cond. (6) of simnembi to be examined

ome Inf. (3) of ombi to be, may

ofi Past Ger. (8) of ombi to be, because

mini my

deo younger brother

ere this

siden interval

de to, in

teni highly

hacihiyame Ger. (3) of hacihiyambi to exert oneself

manju Manchu

bithe book

hūlambikai to read, with kai final particle

hūdun quickly

gebu name

yabubu Imp. Pass. (1) of yabumbi to go: cause to go, forward

nashūn opportunity

be accusative affix

ume do not

ufarabure Fut. (5) of ufarabumbi to neglect

1

2

3

4

VI. Senior. Well, I hear that you have made such way in Manchu, that you are beginning to speak it quite correctly.

Junior. Nonsense! I understand it, certainly, when I hear it spoken, but it will be sometime yet before I can speak it myself. It is not only that I can't go right through with a piece of conversation of any length like other people, but I can't even string half a dozen sentences together.

sini thy

manjurarangge Verbal Noun (21) of manjurambi to speak Manchu

majige little

muru appearance

tucikebi Indef. Past (10) of tucimbi to come forth

aibide how?

bi I

niyalmai man, with gen. affix i

gisurere Fut. Part. (5) of gisurembi to speak

be accusative affix

ulhire Fut. (5) of ulhimbi to understand

gojime only

mini my

beye body, self

gisureme Ger. (3) of gisurembi to speak

ohode when

oron interval, place

unde not yet, oron unde not yet time, too early

gūwai other, with gen. affix i

adali like, similar

fiyelen chapter, piece, fiyelen fiyeleni connectedly

gisureme Inf. (3) of gisurembi to speak

muerakū Fut. (3) of mutembi to be able, with akū not

sere Fut. (5) of sembi to say

anggala not only

emu one

siran continuation

i adverbial particle, emu sirani uninterruptedly

duin four

sunja five

gisun word

1

2

3

4

Then there is another odd thing I do: whenever I am going to begin, without being the least able to say why, I become so alarmed about mistakes that I dare not go on without hesitating; now, so long as this continues to be the case, how am I to make a speaker? Indeed, so far from considering myself one, I quite despair.

gemu all

sirabume Inf. (3) of sirabumbi to connect

muterakū Fut. (5) of mutembi to be able, with akū not

tere that

anggala not only

hono further

emu one

aldungga extraordinary, strange

babi place, with bi is

gisurere Fut. Part (5) of gisurembi to speak

onggolo before

baibi in vain

tašaraburakū Fut. (5) of tašarabumbi to make mistakes, with akū not

calaburakū Fut. (5) of calabumbi to err, with akū not

seme Inf. (3) of sembi to say

tathūnjame Inf. (3) tathūnjambi to doubt, to be incertain, to be alarmed

gelhun akū without fear, to dare

kengse lasha constantly

gisurerakū Fut. (5) of gisurembi to speak, with akū not

uttu thus

kai it is

mimbe acc. of I

adarame how?

gisure Imp. (1) of gisurembi to speak

sembi to say, to call

bi I

inu yes, indeed

usaka in despair

1

2

3

4

of ever learning to speak. I say to myself that if with all my studying I have not got farther than this, I shall certainly never be a proficient.

Senior. This is all mere want of practice. Listen to me. Whenever you meet a man, no matter who, (that can talk Manchu), at him at once, and talk away with him.

gūnici Cond. (6) of gūnimbi to think

ai what?

hacin kind

i genitive affix

taciha Pret. (4) of tacimbi to learn

seme Inf. (3) of sembi to say

inu indeed

ere this

hūman ability

dabala only

nonggibure Fut. (5) of nonggibumbi to make progress

aibi how could?

ere this

gemu all

sini thy

urehekū Pret. (4) of urembi to practice, with akū not

haran reason

bi I

sinde dat. of si thou

tacibure Fut. (5) of tacibumbi to teach

yaya whoever

webe acc. of we who

seme Inf. (3) of sembi to say

ume not, do not

bodoro Fut. (5) of bodombi to consider

damu only

ucaraha Pret. (4) of ucarambi to meet

ucaraha Part. Pret. (4) of ucarambi to meet

be sign of accusative

tuwame Ger. (3) of tawambi to try

amcatame Ger. (3) of amcatambi to address one against his will

gisure Fut. (5) of gisurembi to speak

1

2

3

4

You must go and take lessons of competent professors of the language as well, you know; and if you have any friends who are good Manchu scholars, you should be for ever talking to them. Read some Manchu every day, and talk incessantly, until the habit of speaking comes quite naturally to the mouth. If you follow this rule in a year or two at the farthest

jai secondly

bithede book. with de in

šungke well read

sefu teacher (師傅 shih-fu)

be accusative affix

baifi Past Gerund (8) of baimbi to seek

bithe book

hūla Imp. (1) of hūlambi to read

manju Manchu

gisun word, speech

de in

mangga proficient

gucuse plur. of gucu friend

de in, with

adanafi Past Gerund (8) of adanambi to go to, to be together

gisure Fut. (5), here Imp. of gisurembi to speak

inenggidari daily

hūlaci Cond. (6) of hūlambi to read

gisun word, speech

ejembi to remember

erindari always

gisureci Cond. (6) of gisurembi to speak

ilenggu tongue

urembi to be accustomed

uttu thus

tacime Inf. (3) of tacimbi to learn

ohode when

manggai scarcely

emu one

juwe two

1

2

3

4

you will speak it without effort; so now don't despair any more.

VII. Junior. Where are you from, sir, may I ask?

Senior. I have been to visit a relation of mine who lives down yonder. Won't you step in and sit down on your way, sir?

aniya year

i genitive affix

sidende interval, with de in

inu yes, certainly; inu cisui naturally

gūnin thought

i sign of genitive

cihai will, with adverbial affix i, gūnin i cihai as you like

anggai mouth, with genitive affix

ici in accordance

tang sembi to speak without interruption

kai final particle

muterakū Fut. (5) of mutembi to be able, with akū not

jalin as regards

geli again

aiseme how could it?

jobombi to apprehend, to fear

ni interrogative particle.

absi why?

yoha Pret. (4) of yombi to go, to walk

bihe Pret. (4) of bimbi to be

bi I

ergi this side

emu one

niyamangga related

niyalmai man, with genitive affix i

boode house, with de in

genehe Pret. (4) of genembi to go

bihe Pret. (4) of bimbi to be

ere this

ildun opportunity

de in

mini my

boode house, with de in, to

darifi Past Gerund (8) of darimbi to pass

majige little

teki Subj. Present (7) of tembi to sit down.

1

2

3

4

Junior. Do you reside in this neighbourhood, sir?

Senior. Yes, I moved into this house not long ago.

Junior. Oh! indeed, sir; then we are not so very far from each other. If I had been aware that you lived here, I should have called before. Go on, sir, pray (I'll follow you, if you please).

Senior. What, in my own house? Now, please take the upper seat.

Junior. Thang you, I am very well where I am.

Senior. But if you site where you are sitting, what place am I to take?

age elder brother, sir

si thou

ubade here

tehebio Indef. Past. (10) of tembi to sit, to reside, with interrogative o

inu yes

jakan lately

gurinjihe Pret. (4) of gurinjimbi to come to change place

uttu thus

oci Cond. (6) of ombi to be

musei we two, with genitive affix i

tehengge Verbal Noun (21) of tembi to sit, to reside

giyanaūk far from

udu how much?

goro distant

saha Pret. (4) of sambi to know

bici Cond. (6) of bimbi to be

aifini before

simbe acc. of si thou

tuwanjirakū Fut. (5) of tawanjimbi to come to see, to call, with akū not

biheo Pret. (4) of bimbi to be, with interrogative o

age elder brother, sir

yabu Imp. (1) of yambumbi to go

ai geli how could that be?

mini my

boode house, with postpos. de in

kai it is

age elder brother, sir

wesifi Past Gerund (8) of wesimbi to ascend

teki Subj. Pres. (2) of tembi to sit

ubade here

icangga convenient

si thou

tuttu thus

tehede seat, with postpos. de in

bi I

absi how?

tembi to sit.

1

2

3

4

Junior. I have got a seat, thank you; and a seat with a back to it.

Senior. Here! bring a light!

Junior. Not for me, thank you, sir, I can't smoke; I have a sore mouth.

Senior. Well, then, bring some tea.

Junior. Drink first, then, pray. Oh, isn't it hot.

Senior. If it is too hot, let it be taken away for a while, that it may get cooler. I am very sorry. Boy, go and see what there is in the kitchen,

sain good

teme Inf. (3) of tembi to sit

jabduha Pre. (4) of jabdumbi to reach one's aim

ubade here

emu one

nikere Fut. Partic. (5) of nikembi to lean against

babi place (ba) is (bi)

booi house, with genitive affix i

urse those who

aba how?

yaha coal

gaju Imp. (1) of gajimbi to fetch

age elder brother, sir

bi I

dambagu tobacco

omirakū Fut. (5) of omimbi to eat, to smoke, with akū not

angga mouth

furugahabi to have ulcers in the mouth

tuttu thus

oci Cond. (6) of ombi to be

cai tea

gana Imp. (1) of ganambi to bring

age elder brother, sir

cai tea

gaisu Imp. (1) of gaimbi to take

ko oh, exclamation of pain

absi how?

halhūn hot

halhūn hot

oci Cond. (6) of ombi to be

majige little

tukiyecebu Imp. (1) of tukiyecebumbi to take away

hūwanggiyarakū it does not signify

mukiyebukini Opt. (15) of mukiyebumbi to become cool

je exclamation of compassion

buda rice

be accusative affix

tuwana Imp. (1) of tuwanambi to go and look after

1

2

3

4

and bring quickly whatever is ready.

Junior. No, indeed, sir; do not put yourself to so much trouble. I have still got to go somewhere else.

Senior. But it's only whatever is ready; nothing is being prepared for you. Do try to eat a little, then you may go.

Junior. Not just now, thank you, sir; but now that I have found out where you live, I'll come another time

beleni ready

bisirengge Verbal Noun (21) of bimbi to be

be accusative affix

hasa? quickly

banju Imp. (1) of banjimbi to produce

se Imp. (1) of sembi to say

akū no

age elder brother, sir

ume do ont

bi I

kemuni further

gūwa other

bade place, with de to

geneki Subj. Pres. (7) of genembi to go

sembi to say

ainahabi how is that?

beleni ready

bisirengge Verbal Noun (21) of bimbi to be

sini thy

jalin postpos. on account of

dagilahangge Verbal Noun (21) of dagilambi to prepare

geli also

waka not is

majige little

jefi Past Ger. (8) of jembi to eat

genecina Conessive (14) of genembi to go

joo enough

bi it is

emgeri once

sini thy

boo house

be accusative affix

takaha Pret. (4) of takambi to recognise

kai it is

encu different, other

inenggi day

jai again

cohome specially

jifi Past. Ger. (8) of jimbi to come

1

2

3

4

and spend the day with you.

VIII. Senior. I observe you pass this way every day, sir, what place is it that you go to?

is not the case. Our instructor is one of the elders of our clan and his pupils are all our own near cousins; any other that may attend are relations by marriage; there is not an outsider among them. But the fact is that our elder is too busy to give regular lessons; for, besides teaching us, he has to go to the yamên every day. It is only because we entreat him day and night

sefu teacher (師傅 shih fu)

sembio to say, call, with interrogative o

waka no

kai final particle.

mini my

emu one

mukūn clan

i genitive affix

ahūn elder

tacibure Fut. Part. (5) of tacibumbi to teach

ele whoever

urse plural affix

gemu all

meni our

emu one

uksun relationship

i genitive affix

juse pl. of jui son

deote pl. of deo younger brother

jai secondly

niyaman blood relation

hūncihin relation by marriage

umai not at all

gūwa other

niyalma man

akū not is

adarame how

seci Cond. (6) of sembi to say

mini my

ahūn elder

inenggidari daily

yamulambi to go to the yamên

jabdurakū Fut. (5) of jabdumbi to have leisure, with akū not

ineku the same

be accusative affix

erde morning

yamji evening

nandame Inf. (3) of nandambi to request

genere Fut. (5) of genembi to go

jakade conj. because

arga trick, expedient

1

2

3

4

that he feels obliged to find time to play the tutor. Were the case otherwise, you desire to study Manchu is a thing commandable in itself, and as for the trouble of speaking in your behalf, I should not have thought it any trouble at all.

IX. Senior. That gentleman is our old neighbour, you know; the lad we have seen grow up here.

He has not been away from us very long, and now one hears that he is doing very well; that he has got an appointment. I only half believed the report when I first heard it, until on inquiring of friends I find it really is the case. It shows the truth of the proverb "If a man but resolve, the thing he wants to do is done"; and of the other proverb "No man is too young to make a resolution."

juse plur. of jui child

kiyalafi Past Ger. (8) of kiyalambi to be separated

giyanakū how could

udu how much

goidaha Pret. (4) of goidambi to last

donjici Cond. (6) of donjimbi to hear

mujakū exceedingly

hūwašafi Past Ger. (8) of hūwašambi to increase, to get on

hafan official

oho Pret. (4) of ombi to be

sere Fut. (5) of sembi to say

sucungga first

bi I

hono also

akdara Fut. (5) of akdambi to believe

dulin half

kenehunjere Fut. (5) of kenehunjembi to doubt

dulin half

bihe Pret. (4) of bimbi to be

amala afterwards

gucuse pl. of gucu friend

de postpos. in

fonjici Cond. (6) of fonjimbi to ask

mujangga certain

erebe this, with accusative affix be

tuwaci Cond. (6) of tuwambi to see, to regard

mujin resolution

bisirengge Verbal Noun (21) of bimbi to be

baita thing

jiduji completely

mutebumbi it can be done

se year

mulan seat; se mulan age

de postpos. in

akū not

sehe Pret. (4) of sembi to say

gisun word

tašan wrong

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2

3

4

Junior. That is all very well, sir; still, his father's infinite virtues must have enabled him to beget a son of such promise; a young man so kind and good, so fond of his studies; in foot and horse archery, in every manly exercise beyond his years accomplished; spending any spare time

akū not

ni final particle

age elder brother, sir

i genitive affix

gisun word

inu true

tuttu thus

secibe Advers. (13) of sembi to say

inu certainly

terei his

sakdasa pl. of sakda old man, father

de postpos. in

wajirakū infinite

sain good

ba place

bifi Past Ger. (5) of bimbi to be

teni therefore

ere this

gese similiarity

dekjingge prosperous

juse child

banjiha Pret. (4) of banjimbi to beget

nomhon kind

bime Ger. (3) of bimbi to be

sain good

tacin learning

jorin interpretation

de postpos. in

amuran fond of

gabtara Fut. Part. (5) of gabtambi to shoot on foot (with the bow)

niyamniyara Fut. Part. (5) of niyamniyara to shoot on horseback

eiten every

haihai man, with sign of genitive i

erdemu virtue

se year, age

de postpos. to

teisu corresponding to

akū not

ambula greatly

tacihabi Indef. Past (10) of tacimbi to learn, to study

an i ucuri generally

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2

3

4

at home, and there always at his studies; never moving one step in the direction of a dissolute life.

Then he is so careful and attentive in the discharge of his public duties; and when he is able to obtain information about something, he remains perfectly spotless. It is quite a case in which one may observe that "The house where virtue accumulates (from generation to generation) will not fail to have more than an ordinary share of happiness."

boode house. with postpos. de in

bici Cond. (6) of bimbi to be

bithe book

tuwara Fut. (5) of tuwambi to look at

dabala only

balai firvolous

bade place, with postpos. de to

emu one

okson step

seme Inf. (3) of sembi to say

inu really

feliyerakū Fut. (5) of feliyembi to walk, with akū not

tere that

anggala not only

siden public

i genitive affix

baita affair

de postpos. in

oci Cond. (6) of ombi to be

ginggun careful

olhoba attentive

bahara Fut. Part. (5) of bahambi to obtain

sara Fut. Part. (5) of sambi to know

bade place, with postpos. de in

oci Cond. (6) of ombi to be

fimenere Fut. Part. (5) of fimenembi to smudge

ba place

akū not

ere this

tob right

seme Inf. (3) of sembi to say

sain good

ba place

iktambuha Part. Pret. (4) of iktambumbi to accumulate

boode house, with postpos. de in

urunakū must

funcetele superabundant

hūturi luck

bi has

sehe Pret. (4) of sembi to say

gisun word, speech

de postpos. in

acanaha Pret. (4) of acanambi to agree

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2

3

4

X. Junior. Keep on your horse, sir, pray! I went out of your sight.

Now, why should you go through the form of dismounting when you are so tired?

Senior. Not dismount, indeed! If I had not seen you, well and good; but when I did see you ever so far off, you would not have had me pass you on horseback, would you?

Junior. Well, sir, won't you step in and sit down?

Senior. Oh, yes, I'll step in and sit down a moment, it is so long since we met.

But, dear me! what a show of trees and flowers you have, and what a stock of goldfish! and your rockery, so ingeniously concieved; every tier of it has a character of its own! and what a tidy library! everything in it looks

↑The y in these 3 Chinese syllables represents the vowel transcribed by Wade with ŭ as in tzŭ and ssŭ, with ih as in chih and shih.

↑This alphabet was adopted by the Uigurs from a Syriac or Mandaic source, thence adapted to the Mongolian language and in 1599 slightly altered to suit the pronunciation of Manchu. Unfortunately 3 vowels were left unrepresented: ö, ü, y. By comparing the Tungusic dialects these vowels can be partly restored.